Texas Tech University Athletics
Texas Tech Athletics
Texas
Lady Raiders Romp No. 1 Texas, 62-49
February 22, 2004 | Women's Basketball
Feb 22, 2004
By BETSY BLANEY
Associated Press Writer
LUBBOCK, Texas (AP) - Texas coach Jody Conradt isn't about to let one loss or a drop in the poll ruin the Longhorns' season.
No. 9 Texas Tech earned its first regular-season victory against a top-ranked team Sunday, beating the No. 1 Longhorns 62-49.
"It's one game. We're not going to talk about it and belabor it in negative ways," Conradt said. "We have a really tough stretch ahead and we just have to regroup and get ready.
"We're going to move on and hopefully make our mark at the end of the season."
The Longhorns, who took over the top spot in The Associated Press rankings Feb. 9 for the first time since Dec. 28, 1987, are sure to drop in the new poll. They also a tough schedule down the stretch, hosting No. 19 Baylor on Wednesday and facing No. 8 Kansas State and No. 24 Oklahoma.
Tech, which lost 82-73 to Texas on Feb. 1, relied on a familiar game plan on Sunday: stopping the Longhorns' inside game.
"They scored 47 points total the first time, so we wanted to limit what their post players had," Tech's LaToya Davis said. "We did a good job of following the game plan and doing the things we talked about."
Davis matched her career high with 15 points and Jolee Ayers-Curry added a season-high 14 for Texas Tech (23-4, 9-4 Big 12).
Heather Schreiber and Nina Norman each scored 14 points for Texas (23-3, 11-2), which had its nine-game winning streak snapped.
The Lady Raiders last beat a top-ranked team in 1993, when they defeated Vanderbilt 60-46 in the semifinals of the NCAA tournament. Tech went on to win its only national championship that year.
Tech had runs of 12-2 and 9-1 and took a 47-38 lead on a layup and free throw by Davis with 9:25 remaining. Tech trailed by five at the half and regained the lead by scoring 10 straight points in the second half.
"In Austin, it was just the opposite," Tech coach Marsha Sharp said. "We got in a hole in the first three minutes of the second half there. We talked about not letting the game get away from us. We knew we had found some things in the first half, and they just went out and executed exactly what we asked them to do in the locker room."
Conradt said Texas Tech's second half surge was the difference.
"They came out with a fire, and we stood around and watched for a few possessions," she said. "We felt good at the half. We had a little lead."
The Lady Raiders held Texas to just two field goals in the first 11 minutes of the second half, and the Longhorns got no closer than six points the rest of the way.
Texas' point total was its lowest of the season. The Longhorns' previous low was 51 in a victory over Colorado last week.
Tech's defense disrupted the Longhorns inside, challenging most passes and double- and triple-teaming Stacy Stephens and Tiffany Jackson whenever they got the ball.
 | "Our post players really stepped...they were aggressive throughout the game and they did a great job of making things happen." - Coach Marsha Sharp |
"Our post players really stepped up and made plays today," Sharp said. "They were aggressive throughout the game and they did a great job of making things happen."
The Lady Raiders snapped a five-game losing steak against Texas, and Tech avoided its second straight home loss.
Texas Tech played its first game without Cisti Greenwalt, who is out for the season with a fractured right ankle. The Lady Raiders lost Jia Perkins in January for undisclosed medical reasons.
"They played with purpose and they played with focus," Conradt said. "Sometimes that happens when a team has adversity. They showed that their season isn't over, and I think that's the statement they made here today."
There were six ties in a first half that included extended scoring droughts by both teams. Tech went nearly six minutes without scoring.
Late in the first half the Longhorns scored seven unanswered points in a two-minute span to take a 31-24 lead. Tech's Erin Grant hit a shot at the buzzer to cut the margin to five.
